Do you only get afterpains in the couple of days after the birth?

[chequersandchess]

DD is 10 weeks old and I keep getting period type pains (although periods haven't returned) esp after b/feeding.

Are these after pains? I thought they didn't last this long.

Could be period on its way? Sorry!

Well your uterus will still be contracting (it takes a long time to get back to teeny tiny pre-pregnancy size) and BF releases oxytocin causing the uterus to contract so yes they could be "after-pains".

Or it could be the beginning of a period, fingers crossed for you that it's the former....

Thanks, been getting them for a few weeks now so don't think it's period pains.

Mine seemed to do on forever tbh

Is it your first baby or a sibling? How bad are they?

Breastfeeding continues to make the womb contract slightly whenever it is done I think. Obviously this has more of an effect in those first few days where it has loads of contracting to do to get back to a pre pregnant ish size but it continues gently throughout breastfeeding to some extent.

I only ask about the first/second or more baby as with a first baby after pains arent as painful or quite light - to me they were like period pains. With the next babies they get a lot worse - I had to breathe through mine and take loads of pain killers, hot water bottles, hot baths etc and quite often swore through them lol. If you were getting after pains like these still at 10 weeks I would suggest talking to the doctor. If milder then probably just one of those things.

Sometimes it feels like your period is going to come for a few weeks before it actually does after a baby if youre breastfeeding I think.

Hope they go away soon
xxxx